BBC MONTHLY RIDES

The hills around Bloomington and Monroe County offer great scenery and challenging routes for touring, training and social cycling. The BBC’s ride calendar accommodates cyclists of varying abilities and interests. Choose from the club rides described below to find a time, pace and group that suits you. Always bring a helmet and supplies but consider bringing a friend, too.

CLICK FOR INFORMATION ON:
Saturday Club Touring Rides | Training Rides | Brisk Training Rides | Wednesday Night Women's Ride | OWLS | SlowSpokes |Sunday Nice 'N Easy Rides | Holiday Breakfast Rides | Where to Ride

SATURDAY CLUB TOURING RIDES
Saturdays, March-October. Start times will change from month to month with the availability of light and the onset of Indiana heat and humidity. Check the ride calendar for starting times.
Meeting Place: Bryan Park Pool parking lot.
Pace:13-17 m.p.h.
Mileage:Varies, see ride calendar. Short options are available on most routes. Touring rides take cyclists to surrounding counties and accommodate cyclists of a variety of abilities. Participants frequently break up into multiple groups determined by pace.

Ride leaders provide maps and ensure that no rider is completely dropped and all riders make it back to the starting point. On longer rides, leaders designate collection points to bring groups back together and identify rest stops for food and water. Mileage and difficulty of touring rides increase over the course of the summer. Touring rides are a great way to acquaint yourself with the area, build endurance, and meet others who share your interest in cycling.

TRAINING RIDES
Tuesday and Thursday Nights, 5:30/5:45 p.m. (varies see ride calendar), March-October
Meeting Place: Bryan Park Pool parking lot.
Pace:17+ m.p.h. sprints probable (determined by the group).
Mileage:0-40 miles depending on the availability of light

Training rides allow participants to challenge themselves in pace lines with other strong riders. Participants work to build speed and endurance. No route sweep is provided so riders who attend are expected to keep up with the group or be familiar with area roads. Participants determine routes on the evening of the ride.

BRISK TRAINING RIDES
Saturdays and Sundays, March-October
Meeting Place: YMCA parking lot
Pace:17-20+ m.p.h.
Mileage:25-50 miles

Brisk training rides are open to motivated, fast recreational cyclists and racers. Participants determine routes on the day of the ride. No route sweep is provided so riders who attend are expected to keep up with the group or be familiar with area roads. These rides are organized by member and past president, Joe Walker, and announced by email to interested cyclists.

WEDNESDAY NIGHT WOMEN'S RIDE
Meeting Place: Bryan Park Pool parking lot, Sherwood Oaks Church parking lot, Lower Cascades playground parking lot, University School parking lot.
Pace:14-17 m.p.h.
Mileage:15-30 miles

This is a group ride for women who are looking for a good workout and hope to up their speed, endurance and confidence over the course of the summer. Gathering points will change on the first Wednesday of every month to allow for maximum exploration of the area around Bloomington. Routes and mileage will be noted on the ride calendar.

The OWLS
Tuesday and Thursday evenings, 5:45 p.m.
Meeting Place: Sherwood Oaks Church parking lot, 2700 E Rogers Rd.
Pace: 13-14 m.p.h.
Mileage: 20-30 miles

This "Older, or Wiser, or a Little Slower" training group formed in 2008. We emphasize moderate rides, almost always with a designated leader, and a route planned in advance and posted on the ride calendar. Rides tend to be somewhat shorter and slower in the early part of the season and somewhat longer and faster as the season goes along. We expect to have several regrouping points and not let anyone get dropped. Here are the OWLS Maps.

SlowSpokes
Saturdays, 1:30 p.m.
Meeting Place: Bryan Park Pool parking lot.
Pace:9-12 m.p.h.
Mileage:10-30 miles, somewhat more as the season progresses.

Welcome to the SlowSpokes group. We are a family oriented group that encourages participation of all cyclists, fast or slow, people who bicycle or want to bicycle. The distance and speed of our rides will depend on the experience and ability of the participants. We will use short and medium variations of standard club routes. All rides will have a leader, and the more experienced riders will serve as mentors for the beginners, and no matter what your speed or experience, no one will be dropped or left behind. We will include community-sponsored and fundraising rides into our training routine and, as part of encouraging members to become better cyclists, we have set as one of our goals to have regular participants ready for the Hilly Hundred in October.

SUNDAY NICE 'N EASY RIDES
Sundays, 1:30 p.m. March-October
Meeting Place: Bryan Park Pool parking lot.
Pace:8-12 m.p.h.
Mileage:19-25 miles

Sunday rides feature lower mileage and slower paces. Routes are posted ahead of time on the BBC Calendar. Nice ‘n easy rides cater to those who want to take it easy and to beginning riders. Here is a Map showing the Nice and Easy Rides.

HOLIDAY BREAKFAST RIDES
Scheduled via BBC email for three-day holiday weekends (Memorial Day, Labor Day weekends, etc.)

Generally these rides go to McCormick’s Creek State Park, Brown County State Park, or Nashville to partake of some culinary delights in some degree of excess. Friends and family who do not ride are encouraged to meet participants and share in the meal.